New Brewer superintendent buys home in city, registers to vote for Monday school referendum

Gabor Degre | BDN

Gabor Degre | BDN

Miles (right) and Ben McIntire play after walking out of the Brewer City Hall with their parents Kristin Ludwig (left) and Jay McIntire (center). Jay McIntire and his family recently moved to Brewer and he just registered to vote in town. He is the new superintendent of Brewer schools, and according to the new City Charter, the person holding the position must be a resident of the city.

“It was a very difficult budget year,” School board Chairwoman Janet McIntosh said Tuesday. “[The fiscal year 2013-14 budget figure] is an increase, but we have done our very best to be responsible with taxpayer dollars.”

The $20.3 million preliminary school budget, which is an increase of about $315,500 or 1.6 percent, requires approximately $7.4 million in local tax dollars — an increase of $1.2 million, or 20.5 percent — compared with this year.

School leaders decided to ask the city for more money to prevent teacher layoffs, McIntosh said.

“The city council certainly scrutinized our budget and [afterward] did pass it,” she said.

Mayor Kevin O’Connell called the Bangor Daily News on Tuesday to encourage residents to vote.

“The more the merrier,” he said. “If it doesn’t pass, we’re back to ground zero.”

Buying a home in the city was not an issue for McIntire and his wife, who have two young sons. He was selected from a field of 10 applicants to fill the shoes of outgoing superintendent Daniel Lee, who retired at the end of June and is moving to Missoula, Mont.

“It’s great to be back in Maine,” McIntire said. “I’ve already run into people who’ve said, ‘I know your father’ or ‘I remember hearing about you when you were a teacher.’ Maine is home.”